Coordinating Care Across Wisconsin: Innovating Healthcare Through Partnership Grants

The Coordinating Care Across Wisconsin: Innovating Healthcare Through Partnership Grants program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services as part of the broader Rural Health Transformation Program, a federally supported initiative through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The program is designed as a five-year funding opportunity to improve healthcare access and outcomes in rural and semi-rural communities across Wisconsin. The initiative reflects a significant statewide investment aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure, advancing innovation, and fostering collaboration among healthcare providers, public health entities, and community-based organizations. The program is rooted in addressing systemic gaps in care delivery, particularly in areas where residents face barriers such as workforce shortages, long travel distances, and fragmented service systems. The primary purpose of this grant opportunity is to catalyze innovative, partnership-driven healthcare delivery models that improve coordination across systems and sectors. The program seeks to target critical points in the care continuum where individuals are most likely to fall out of care or encounter barriers to accessing services. Through these efforts, the program aims to establish sustainable and community-centered healthcare systems, increase access to primary, specialty, and behavioral health services, and improve outcomes related to chronic disease and prevention. Additionally, the initiative seeks to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and emergency department utilization by strengthening local care networks and improving service integration. The funding structure is divided into two phases. Phase 1 consists of a six-month planning grant period during which applicants submit a letter of application and, if selected, receive funding and technical assistance to develop their proposed projects. This phase supports activities such as partnership development, program design, and preparation for full implementation. Phase 2 is the full award stage, available only to successful planning grant recipients, and covers the remaining four-year project period. The full application is expected to be released in early 2027. Funding for the planning period totals $10 million statewide, while the full implementation phase is estimated at $205 million, pending federal approval. Awards are structured into tiers ranging from $400,000 to $20 million over four years, depending on project scope and regional impact. Eligible applicants include a wide range of health service providers and their community partners operating in rural and semi-rural areas of Wisconsin outside Milwaukee County. This includes hospitals, clinics, public health departments, community-based organizations, educational institutions, and other entities delivering health-related services. The program emphasizes collaborative partnerships across sectors, encouraging applicants to form innovative alliances that integrate services and improve care delivery. Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed projects represent new or expanded initiatives rather than maintenance of existing services, and they must include evidence-based justification of community need and expected outcomes. The application process requires submission of a letter of application through an online form, accompanied by a detailed budget using a prescribed template. Applicants must describe their proposed partnership model, articulate the health issue being addressed, and outline how the project will improve care coordination and outcomes. Evaluation criteria include community need and impact, program design and implementation, and the planning budget, each scored equally. Applications must also include letters of support from partners where applicable and a sustainability plan demonstrating how the project will continue beyond the grant period. Grant funds may be used for a variety of allowable costs including administrative support, training, coordination activities, infrastructure for collaboration, and program evaluation. However, there are important restrictions, including limitations on capital expenditures, construction, and direct clinical service funding. Administrative costs are capped at 8 percent of the total award, and strict federal compliance requirements apply. Recipients are required to submit quarterly reports combining qualitative and quantitative data to support state and federal evaluation efforts. The program operates on a cost-reimbursement basis, meaning expenses are reimbursed after they are incurred and verified. Key timeline elements for the current funding cycle include an application release date of June 15, 2026, a deadline for submitting questions by June 30, 2026, and a letter of application deadline of August 21, 2026. Award notifications for the planning phase are expected in October 2026, with the planning period running from November 2026 through April 2027. The full application for Phase 2 is anticipated in early 2027, with final awards expected shortly thereafter. The program represents a recurring, multi-year initiative aligned with federal funding cycles and ongoing efforts to transform rural healthcare delivery in Wisconsin.

Emphasize strong cross-sector partnerships; clearly quantify community need with data; demonstrate sustainability beyond grant period; show how project is new or expands existing services